North Carolina Rocks 3D

Another Success Story in 3D Education

I don't know what it is about the Tar Heel state, but ya’ll certainly gotchee a mess of educational 3D talent there.  Maybe it comes from the drinking water. Or the fresh country air. Or the amazing waffles. Maybe it’s due to the Old North State’s beautiful, plentiful, and restful foliage.  Perhaps it emanates from the high-tech bowels of the Research Triangle. But they sure do educational 3D well in North Carolina. It's a 3-D success story all around.

Rural Richmond County, NC

For the last few years I have described the work of the so-called 3D Jedi, Director of Technology—Jeff Epps.  His past efforts can be reviewed in these previous blog posts: 3D Jedi * 3D Jedi Conclusion * Return of the 3D Jedi * Return of the 3D Jedi (2) But let's move on...

Holly Ridge, NC

Now move eastward with me, as we take a look at some of the 3D learning taking place at coastal Dixon high school.  For the last two years, Jason Chambers, a respected biology teacher, has used XPAND glasses, DLP technology, and DesignMate software with positive results:  “It’s been a dream using the software. It not only helps the kids but the teachers are also enjoying it, especially when they see the test results. In General Biology alone there has been a more than 50 percent improvement in test scores. Our principal is ecstatic,” Mr. Chambers said. In North Carolina, a student has to score a level 3 (mastery of concepts) or 4 (superior understanding and clearly proficient in concept) on a statewide testing exam to be considered proficient. All classes taught by Mr. Chambers [including those with special needs students] earned a remarkable 100% proficiency using the 3D material. In an Honors class taught by Mr. Chambers, he had 12 students score 4 in a class of 21 students. “Those types of scores are unheard of!” Mr. Chambers added. “Normally I’m lucky to get four or five 4’s in a class of 30 students, so the numbers speak for themselves.”

Where students often get restless when a video is being played, Mr. Chambers noticed the opposite effect with the presentation of 3D content. “I can hear a pin drop in the room when we’re watching a 3D video. Kids are attentive and focused and actually entertained by what they are watching. I had never seen that before,” he said.

“Students are grasping the material much quicker than with traditional methods,” Mr. Chambers said. Mr. Chambers concluded: “I don’t have to change the way I teach; I’ve had outstanding results with the content.”

Listen to this short overview video of Dixon High School’s 3D project:

Also, listen to this short video with interviews of students and Mr. Chambers. 

Kinston, NC

And, surprisingly we’re still not done. North Carolina is still that good!  Meet Joe Romig, IB biology teacher at Kinston High. His students, too are seeing positive results using 3D in biology lessons. "In the past, before the 3D biology classes, 8 of 26 students showed academic growth. Now that number has increased to 24 of 29 students," he explains. "I've had kids that would probably have been at level two score at level three. Even had a kid score a perfect EOC [end of course] score." 

See this video of Kinston.

Based on some of these success stories coming out of North Carolina, I am certain that other states “might can” (might be able to) see similar results.  North Carolina rocks. Don't  you agree?